Soulless
by Crossed from another world
Summary: Sakura loses her soul, but she doesn't? What will happen as she tries to reinvent herself while enduring a reversal amnesia. Her condition is that she remembers her feelings and memories, but she doesn't know why she feels that way? This twisted romantic novel will leave you wanting more... NaruxSaku.
1. Chapter 1: The beginning

Prologue

* * *

"I can't do it...I can't end her life!" Naruto screams out to the gaping black hole above him. He was sent down because Naruto's friends wanted to give him the respect he rightfully deserved and to end the life of his former teammate. Naruto watches Sakura, limped and leaning against the wall. "She's no longer Sakura! The demon took over her." Neji calls out and you could hear silent cries from the group above him. All of the orginal 11 know Sakura as a true friend. They didn't like it that it had to end this way, but they couldn't allow that _thing_ to control Sakura any longer.

The bright, healthy young girl with beautiful pink hair turned into a shell of her former self. Her face is dry and pale. Her hair is missing at parts and the whiteness of her eyes is covered with black. Naruto had to save her. He couldn't allow her to die like this.

"Sakura!" he walks up, dragging the limp body. He could sense her chakra within her still beating. "Sakura wake up!" he places her on the smoothest part of the land he could find. He spreads out her hands and legs, trying to air her down. "Sakura stop joking! Sakura this isn't funny!" the voices and yells above Naruto illuminated into nothing. He's desperately trying to revive Sakura and he could only do it the way he only knows how.

He has to give her love. He has to give his love.

He leans forward and gently places his lips against hers. The memories of them being together. The adventures they had and the trouble they endured. They did it together. He can't allow her to die. He remembered loving her since he was small, thinking she was the most beautiful thing in the world. He remembered fighting for her. He would always try to downplay Sasuke just so he could get any lead he could grab.

The tears begins to falls, clenching her hand tightly. He only needs to feel a certain strength from her and that will be all. He just needs to know that somewhere inside her. She's alive!

That's when Sakura's chest begins to glow and a small orb flies off into the wind. Naruto stands up, looking at it. His attentions is on the orb and not the body because he knows that the orb is Sakura. "Sakura!" he calls out, but the orb flies in the wind and it wasn't turning back. It didn't say goodbye. It just got up and left.

"Sakura..." Naruto quietly says to himself and when the orb disappeared, Sasuke jumps down into the hole where Naruto's at.

"Where is she...Naruto?" he said darkly, taking out his knife as he walks to the body that the orb left. They both looks at it as it stands up and stares at them. There's no light in her eyes, but her looks improved. It looked like she returned to her normal self, but both Naruto and Sasuke knew it wasn't her.

"I'm going to kill her before she causes more pain to herself." Sasuke walks fastly to Sakura location, ready to strike the defenseless shell, but then Naruto suddenly felt his body move on it's own and his hand guides to Sasuke's chest, stopping him from moving.

"Naruto...you do know that you can't stop me. C'mon, you're causing her more pain then you have to. Let's just end this once and for al-" he gets cut off as Naruto screams out the words he doesn't mean to say. It was like somebody took over him, _"RASENGAN!"_ he blast Sasuke as his body hits the concrete wall. There were concerned voices above the hole and the rest of the group soon jump down.

Ino was the first one in and she quickly gasps, seeing Sasuke crushed against the wall. Sasuke's really strong and something like that wouldn't have hurt him, but he didn't expect it. He didn't know that Naruto's power of being oblivous to everything around him was this strong.

"You idiot..." Sasuke said, coughing out blood. "Do you want to remember her like that?! I thought we had an agreement last night. Sakura has to die!" Sasuke then forces himself to stand up, but quickly struggles as he feels a sharp pain on his back. Naruto didn't hold back at all, but the thing is...

It wasn't Naruto...

"Sasuke!" Naruto pleaded, looking at all the worried eyes staring at him, "You got to believe me...I can't control my body!" He looks at everyone, but no one looked at him. They were avoiding his gaze and Naruto tried to explain himself, but Shikamaru stopped him with a wave of his hand. It looked like he made up his mind.

"I believe you Naruto, but you know we have to kill Sakura now, right? She's no longer Sakura...you know this...right?" he walks slowly to Sakura, readying himself to grab her, but the feeling comes back to Naruto and he no longer had control. He swiftly raises his hands to the air and screams out.

"_RASENGAN!"_ the hole on the roof is blasted and as the rocks fall on the ground, the sun came rushing in. Naruto didn't even know why he did, but he could see what he's _body_ was thinking. This stopped Shikamaru from casting his shadows on the two ninja's.

"Naruto stop!" Hinata calls out and she tries to run to him, but Naruto's _body_ turns to a defensive mode before she could embrace him. She gets grab from Neji before Naruto could hit her away and she looks at Naruto for the very first time...with fear.

"DAMMIT NARUTO!" Sasuke yelled out and forces himself to stand up again, but his back is killing him and he falls to the ground. Ino then supports him and he finally stands up, "How long are you going to keep making this harder for us...Naruto?" Sasuke grunts, trying to mask his pain with anger. "We agreed to kill Sakura and here you are defending her. At least tell me one thing..." Sasuke looks at him with his Sharingan, "Do you tend to make Sakura suffer for your worldly thoughts?"

Naruto finally gets control of his body and tries desperately to explain, "I'm telling you Sasuke! I can't control my body. It's controlling itself on it's own!" He didn't expect anyone to believe him, but the last person he expected to believe him was Shikamaru. Shikamaru folds his sleeves up and looked irritated, "He's right Sasuke...I didn't do my shadow jutsu for nothing. I knew Naruto wouldn't know anything about it because he's not concentrating. There was a zero amount of chance for him to recognize my actions before it's too late, but he managed to outsmart me before I even started. I'm absolutely sure Naruto's telling the truth."

It was deadly silence after that. If Naruto's not able to control his abilities, but his body is still moving at top shape, no more than it usually does. Then this could mean trouble. It's a showdown between Naruto and the original 11, but before anybody could do a thing. Before more blood could be shed. The girl who everyone was concerned about only moments before this whole thing started, moves to Naruto's side.

"Naruto..." Sakura said softly in his ears. It wasn't like the light had disappear anymore. It really did sound like Sakura and Naruto turns his head to his side. "Sakura!" he calls out, but when he takes a closer look. It wasn't Sakura. The body of Sakura...this is the body of Sakura...but it's not Sakura...

"Who are you..." Naruto said, finally defeated.

"It's the demon!" Shikamaru calls out and the rest of them jump back a feet or two, ready for combat. The body doesn't move though. It continues to stare at Naruto. "This can't be the demon..." Sasuke called out. "She would've attacked us by now. She would've at least killed Naruto..."

"Hey..." Naruto said, looking a bit angry at that remark. He's not too happy with Sasuke wanting him dead right now, but he couldn't blame his logic. It's the truth, if the demon was still in Sakura then it would've struck him by now, but the green misty eyes stare at him without any thought. It was like watching a mindless idiot watch you from a distant. It was awkward most definitely, but somewhat cute.

She then grabs Naruto by her shoulders and brings his face close to her's. "Sakura-chan...?" Naruto tries to snap her out of it. He knows that it isn't the real Sakura but she doesn't tend to do any harm. Sakura looks at his face and observes for some time until she leans it and kiss him. The group gasp, surprised, but Sakura on the other hand just smiles as their lips finally part.

"_Why do I love you?~"_

* * *

I know there's a lot that you're wondering right now, but don't fear. This is just a prologue to get you interested. I might continue starting off here, but everything will be explained in the next chapter.

So please...R&R


	2. Chapter 2: The wandering soul

Chapter 2: The wandering shell get's picked up.

"Isn't it weird..." Ino said quietly, sipping on a juice box. Neji's with her and the both of them are leaning against a railing at the Konoha's office. Ino has her original purple clothing while Neji's still wearing his combat uniform, "What's weird?" Neji asked, sipping on his own juice box. Ino smiles and turns her head, a small pink blush on her face, "Look inside the window." Neji looks and at the other side is four people having a heated debate.

"What's so weird about that." All he could see is Naruto, Sasuke, Tsunade and Sakura standing there. They are arguing but if you look closely. You could Sakura in a daze and throughout the whole time. She is looking at Naruto, slightly blushing. Her fingers are folded against each other. "Doesn't she look a little bit different?" Ino said, smiling quietly to herself as if she knew something Ino didn't.

_What does she know that I'm not seeing?_

Neji thought, throwing his box away and staring intently to Sakura. "I want to know what you're talking about..." Neji said so he strained his eyes.

_**Byakugan!**_

_****_He stares at Sakura's chakra flow and is immediately stun, "How did you see that without powers like mine?" He asked Ino and Ino's smiling face disappears into a question mark, "Wah?" she spits out her juice, "What do you see?!"

Neji closes his eyes and it looked like he was going to answer, but a smirk was planted on his face before he said anything, "I guess I know something you don't." He begins to walk away triumphantly. Ino follows him trying to poke the answer out, "Neji get back here!"

* * *

Sasuke glares at Naruto and points at him, "Tsunade agrees with me Naruto. We have to put her down. We don't know when she will be an enemy again and it took so long to recover after the last attack." Sasuke said it simply, but Naruto couldn't accept it as easily as he could. The veins on his neck pops as he feels irritated, "This isn't right and you know it Tsunade. Don't let them kill Sakura. She's no longer a threat to society! Look at her!"

Naruto drags the soulless Sakura and Sakura lets out a cute moan while being dragged forceful. "I..." she said, looking a little bit shy to talk. "I wouldn't mind not dying...but I can't say I don't see Sasuke's point." she said it just as easy as Sasuke said it and Naruto freaks out.

"You can't mean that you want to die!" He stretches out his arms as if that were to show it was bigger than she thought it would be. "I'm not going to allow it!" Naruto said firmly, glaring back at Sasuke. It was like watching two bulls ready to fight. "I'm not going to allow you to kill Sakura!"

Tsunade is sitting in the middle with her head resting on her folded hands. She didn't like this as much as Naruto, but she couldn't deny the logic Sasuke presented. She glances back and forth to Naruto and Sasuke as they displayed their case and she felt honestly undecided as to what to do.

Sakura doesn't look like she will be a threat to anyone now, but Tsunade spent enough time with Sakura to know that person isn't Sakura. She felt a little bit irritated since the two people fighting for her to live is not fighting for that purpose. Naruto's fighting for Sakura to live because he believes Sakura can regain herself again. He believes Sakura could find her soul.

Sasuke on the other hand can't deal with it. He wants to end her life because he knows that's not Sakura and if Sakura doesn't find her soul. It will be painful for everyone if they relied on something that might not happen.

To put it bluntly...

Sasuke's fighting against something he believes to be false hope and it will do more damage then good if this shell is kept around.

Naruto's fighting for Sakura's right to live and believes that one day, Sakura will return and everything will be back to normal, but what Naruto believes could be considered as selfish hope, despite thinking about another person. He is thinking about himself. He is only concerned if Sakura will come back alive.

The two are ready to blow fist at each other, but Tsunade raises her hand. "I've come to a decision." she said, her eyes close and Naruto and Sasuke both look at her. The girl that's supposed to be concerned is twirling behind the whole tense situation as if in a dream.

Tsunade looks at her and felt both negative and positive feelings for her.

"I will allow Sakura to live because she's not a threat to society."

"WHAT?!" Sasuke called Tsunade out. His face turning red with anger but Tsunade stands up, threateningly. Sasuke shouldn't be stepping out of line since it wasn't only a while ago he wanted to destroy Konoha. Sasuke calms down but you could see he's obviously upset.

"But if Sakura does one wrong thing..." she looks at Naruto who hasn't celebrated yet. He knows there will be a catch into this deal, "If I find out one complaint that Sakura's proven guilty of...I would have her executed immediately...and Naruto..." Naruto stares at Tsunade, more determined than ever, "Naruto...you will be banished from Konoha forever.

The room turns silent and even Sasuke is surprised at how high the risk is here. Naruto would have to choose either his village or Sakura, because of this. Sasuke knows that this is the same type of punishment Konoha placed on his brother. Where Itachi had to choose either his family or Konoha.

"Tsunade-sama...shouldn't you reconsider. I don-"

Sasuke get's cut off by Naruto who raises his fist into the air. "I'll do it!" he said, finally smiling and looking at Sakura. Sakura glances at Naruto and the two of them smile at each other. Sakura then runs down to Naruto and embraces him.

"Yay! Can we go home now?" she said, smiling like a little kid and Naruto hugs her back. He nods his head and grabs Sakura's hand after they embraced, "Yea, we can go home now..." He said, but before he could leave Tsunade stops him. "I'm putting Sakura under my care for the first five months." She pulls Sakura hand away from Naruto and Naruto knew this was going to happen, but Sakura shakes her head rapidly like a robot. "NO!" she said out loud. She forces her hand away from Tsunade and curls at the side of Naruto. "I want to go home with Naruto!" she whimpers, but Tsunade shakes her head, "You can't...even if you end up not being a threat to society. I will not allow to chance it. I'm not going to rely the future of Konoha to Naruto's beliefs...especially one that is silly as this." Naruto and Sasuke both stare at Tsunade in shock. They're mouths partly opened.

"I'm taking you with me..." she goes to grab Sakura's hand and Sakura screams, "Naruto!"

Naruto suddenly felt his body moving by itself again and Sasuke grabs Tsunade out of the way before he could attack her. "Tsunade!" he screams out, pushing her aside, but due to the surprise attack. He had to put himself in danger. Naruto yells without controlling himself.

"_RASENGAN!"_

But before he could hit Sasuke at his heart. Sakura jumps in the middle and grabs Naruto's hand. The bright blue ball doesn't hit anybody, but if Sakura hadn't jumped. He would've hit Sasuke's in his chest and the blow would've killed him. Sakura holds Naruto's wrist, avoiding contact with the powerful ball. "Please, Naruto...don't fight with Sasuke anymore..." Sakura said and in that small moment. A piece of the spirit ball that Naruto saw before comes floating down and into Sakura's heart.

"What was that?!" Tsunade calls out. She grabs Sakura, thinking she's back to her normal self, but Sakura just passes out. There are a trail of tears at the side of her eyes and both Naruto and Sasuke saw this before. It was like the time when Naruto found Sasuke and they fought.

"You felt it too, right?" Sasuke said, stunned. Naruto nods his head slowly and steps back. It looks like the explanation for his wild outburst could wait. Tsunade runs out of the room carrying Sakura in her arms and head to the infirmary. Naruto and Sasuke are too shocked to move. Sasuke finally turns to Naruto and breaks the silence, "Is she back?" he said with a sound of hope in his voice, but Naruto shakes his head, "I don't think so...it's the ball I saw leave Sakura when I was sent down to kill her, but that thing that floated back in her heart was more of a shard..."

"A shard...so it's possible...Sakura can become her normal self." Sasuke grips his hair and pushes it back. It looked like the whole world is turning upside down and he falls on his knees, "I was going to kill her. I was dead set to kill her and yet she could come back...Naruto." he looks up to Naruto and Naruto had never seen Sasuke this weak before.

"I would've made a mistake...Naruto!" He stand up quickly and grips Naruto by his shoulders, tears sliding down at the side of his face. "Naruto, please...this is a once in a lifetime request!" you could see the pain obviously written on Sasuke's face. Sasuke's grip becomes tighter and he looks at Naruto, pleadingly. "Please bring Sakura back!" he bows his head and Naruto remembers this moment from before.

"Sasuke..." he looks at the weak Sasuke and it's a splitting image of Sakura when she asked Naruto to bring back Sasuke. The two are really meant for each other, but where does that put Naruto? He slowly clenches his hand into a fist and hides his face under the shade of his blonde hair. He felt like hitting Sasuke. He felt like yelling at Sakura. He felt like he couldn't live. Why couldn't it be him that's meant to be with Sakura?!

He wants to destroy fate, but without knowing it. He raises his hand to a thumbs up and nods his head, painfully forcing himself to smile. "I'll do it!" he said, beginning to walk outside the door. "I'll bring Sakura back..." he leaves Sasuke inside to mope in his sorrows and when the door closes. His hands slump to his side. "Believe it..." he said it quietly, smiling bitterly at his fate. The man behind the shadows of things. The secondary character of a book. The man who doesn't get the girl. The protagonist's friend. The person who doesn't get a 'happy ending'.

Will this story end that way...?


	3. Chapter 3: Memories

Chapter 3: Memories

_It took me a while to realize, but I finally did it._

Naruto thought, looking at the beautiful black marble stone sitting right in front of the infirmary. He gently walks up to it, rubbing on it's shiny surface.

_I didn't want to come here...it brings too much painful memories, memories...that I just don't want to relive._

He knows that he promised Sasuke he'll bring Sakura back, but thinking it carefully. He doesn't know know if he has himself back. How is he going to show her the way when he's lost himself?

The black marble stone had the words written on it:

**Established by:**

**Sakura Haruno **

**Naruto Uzumaki**

It nearly brings to his eyes, clenching his fist tighter. He didn't want to remember this. He didn't want to remember her when she was like this. He dropped on his knee's feeling the hard earth hitting his knee's.

The darkness surrounds him and he wished something he thought he would never wish in his life.

_I wish I can go away! I wish I can leave this place!_

Then, as if magic, there's a bright light from the stone and blinds Naruto, when he finally gets his vision back. The image before him amazes him. It's a white world, unknown of earth and Naruto finally felt empty. He's too stunned to think of anything else. He couldn't really feel.

The world then shifted right in front of his eyes and the color of the world begins to splatter itself on this white paper. The picture it created was life and the people standing side by side is not only himself, but Sakura.

Their standing in front of the infirmary and it's not build. Now that he thinks of it, he remembers this.

"_Don't worry Sakura!" his 'old' self said. "We'll get it down."_

"_I don't know...having Sasuke coming back. The Hokage going on an adventure and everyone moving on with their life...I don't know." she sighs in defeat and the old Naruto pats her on the back, grinning, "You're not alone. I know I ain't much, but you got me!" _

_Naruto chuckles and Sakura stares at him tiredly, but smiles in the end after all. There is a slight blush in her face as she nods with a new kind of determination, "Then...let's do it together!"_

"_YEA!" Naruto screams out, happy he gripped onto Sakura's will and helped her out, even if it's just a little bit. _

The current Naruto looks at all of this and a tear slides down his face. He was that person. The happy-go-lucky kid who would always put others above himself. He wasn't worried about his own life. He was just worried about Sakura, but is it really different from now. It's been several years since then and he's still giving his all for not himself, but someone else.

_I guess...the only thing different is that I'm not so happy anymore..._

Naruto thought, confirming that to be true. Maybe his body and mind is exhausted from constantly worrying about others without a gain on his side, maybe that's why his not so happy anymore.

The time stopped and the world began to mix into the whiteness it once was. The blank wall that appeared when Naruto first arrived in this new world is back, but it wasn't back for long. Just like before, the world changes once again and this time he's brought to a hospital room.

He could see Sakura kneeling against someone's bed side and it's in a hospital room. Naruto's heart twist and turns when he remembers where his at. He grips the roots of his hair, shaking in agony, "No! Not this!" it's a painful memory carved into his mind well.

"_I wish I had more time..." the old, bitter woman said. Sakura's tears are all over the place and she looks like a mess, "Mom, just wait a few seconds. The doctors coming and he'll make it all better...I promise!" she exclaims, but her mother places her finger gently on Sakura's lips, "If you can't fix me. Then no one can." _

_It's not words of kindness, it's actually the truth. Sakura's healing abilities are definitely number one in Konoha and equal to any shinobi, if not better, in the ninja world. _

"_Don't say that mom...don't lose hope. Naruto would always say that-"_

"_Naruto this, Naruto that..." Her mother gives her a disappointed look, "You know I don't like you mixing with that demon boy. You're a Haruno for crying out loud. We don't mix with their kind." Sakura's mom had lots of family lost after the war against the Kyuubi, it's reasonable she has hate for Naruto._

"_But mom...he's really nice and..." she felt something cut her, it wasn't anything physical, but mentally she knew that it had come to time where she had to choose either Naruto or her family. _

"_Sakura..." her mother said sickly, "Please, this is a once in a lifetime request. Do not mix with that boy. I rather you go out with Sasuke, but there's a lot of terrific shinobi's out there willing to take your hand." _

"_M-mom..." Sakura sniffles, wiping her new found tears with the palm of her hands. She's torn between the two and it was just after the infirmary was finished. _

_The reason why Naruto remembers this is because little did the two inside the hospital room know, Naruto was standing right outside the open door the whole time and he could feel the pain in Sakura's heart. He doesn't know if the pain in his heart is equal to the pain Sakura's feeling, but it hurts, it hurts so bad that he did something without thinking._

_Naruto walks right in the hospital room, holding the flowers behind his back. "Heya!" he said, cheerfully, despite putting on the mask. He was selling himself quite well and they bought it. Sakura immediately stands up and straightens herself out. She smooths her casual clothing and smiles as Naruto shows her the flowers. It looked like a long time since Sakura smiled and Naruto felt glad he could at least see that. _

_That happiness quickly disappeared and he felt sick to his stomach saying the next words he had to say. He kept reminding himself that it was for the sake of Sakura, but each time he told himself to say it, it's like cutting himself a little every time._

"_Sakura..." Naruto said, grinning, almost like a frozen smile stopped in time, "Let's take some time off from one another..." _

_Sakura's eyes widened, stunned, "W-what do you mean?" _

_Naruto doesn't even answer. The pain was too much and he quickly turns his head to the door, but suddenly stops when Sakura grabs his hand, "Naruto...please...tell me what you mean?!" she asked desperately, there was a look of loneliness in her eyes and Naruto turns around, his smile gone as he hides his face in the shadow of his hair. _

"_I'm no longer attracted to you..." Naruto whispers softly, and Sakura's body stood still as her grip becomes weak and Naruto finally leaves the room. He knows he couldn't allow Sakura to choose between him or her mother. In the end, it proved to be the right thing since Sakura was in good terms with her throughout her living years._

She was a lot happy back then, almost cheerful, but the person who was left to carry the burden was none other than himself again.

The world's colors disappear once more and Naruto felt tired of this. His wet tears drying on his cheeks, and he felt like he could retire from life right now. If this is the saying 'seeing your past flash in front of your eyes' his really tired of seeing his life and wants out.

It's just a cold and bitter reminder of how selfish he was to himself.

That's when the world recolors itself, but this time. It's not something Naruto could remembers. One of Naruto's brows raise, pondering what this memory could be and it's another hospital room, just not the one like before. This is a new one, expensive new equipment and furniture...now that he thinks of it. He hasn't been inside the new hospital rooms when it was done.

_There's a beautiful girl laying on her bed and standing beside her is Tsunade, looking worriedly down at her student. _

_Then, out of nowhere. The girl's eyes open and she instantly sits up. Naruto watches her move, it's not Sakura, but it sort of is. Naruto could tell there's a small part of her inside that shell and that's more than enough for him._

"_Sakura, you're awake!" Tsunade exclaimed, happily jumping in the air, but Sakura isn't as happy despite it being her own life. She looks blankly at Naruto who's supposed to be invisible to these 'past' people, but she's looking right at him. _

"_Naruto?" she said, and she suddenly stands up, forcing Naruto to lose his posture a little. _

_Can she really see me?_

_Naruto thought, waving his hand in front of her eyes, but that soon stops as she dashes right to him. Naruto surprisingly tries to cover himself, but her speed is incredibly fast, but before he could feel the impact. She runs right through him._

_Naruto confusedly looks behind him and watches as Sakura dashes at the door._

_Ah, that's right. She's looking at the door, not me._

_The colors of the world soon to change, but it's still the same memory, it's just following Sakura. The beautiful designs and intricate shading makes it look like their really in the real world. There's just one little problem racing in Naruto's mind and that problem is:_

_Why does he have a memory that never happened. He usually guesses the memory after first seeing it, but this does not come into picture._

_Sakura runs outside the infirmary, but slightly pauses. She takes a small step back and looks at the little building with a small smile on her face. _

"_Naruto..." she repeats and she darts forward once more until she finally reaches the black marble stone. Naruto looks at himself passed out in front of it as Sakura runs up to him and holds him close. _

"_Naruto..." she said once again._

"_Nar_uto...?" she's kind of asking something, but Naruto's in this world. He can't respond to her.

"**Naruto!" **

Naruto's eyes suddenly open and the world that he once saw disappears in an instant. Naruto looks at Sakura and Sakura smiles, seeing him awake. She buries her flushed pink face into Naruto's chest until the only thing he could see is her pink hair and her beautiful blue eyes staring up at him.

"Naruto..." She whispers into his chest, as if speaking to his heart.

"Yea?" Naruto asked, feeling a little dizzy. It might be because he just went through memory lane, but he's still able to muster the strength to talk to Sakura. Tsunade finally arrives, but she doesn't break up the moment. She just stares at the two from a distance with a small smile on her face.

"Naruto...I remember why, I _remember _why I love you..."

NEXT CHAPTER: CHAPTER 4: The Shell has found a home


	4. Special: Sasuke's bitterness

Chapter 4:

"This again...you've haven't gotten rid of your love of alcohol, haven't you...?" The young physician lets out a sigh as he removes his delicate hands from his patient. One young ordinary man and the young master of the Uchiha clan could be seen in the dimly-lit room, which was filled with the wretched smell of dust.

In the corner of the room which was much larger than what people would normally call a bedroom, there was an expensive looking bed, a man undergoing treatment and physician conducting it. There was also what appeared to be a servant watching the whole thing.

"The bottle is my friend, it is no less than a friend like you. It has stood by me much _longer_ then even you, Neji-kun."

Sasuke had bared his chest for Neji to observed him. He hasn't been feeling himself ever since that tragic incident. He spoke unapologetic to Neji, almost as if angry at him.

"Sasuke-kun..." Neji said, a worried look on his face, "Your body only looks well because of the medicine I've given you. However, if you continue to drink too much then what you could normally handle, the treatment will become meaningless."

He looks at Sasuke in his eyes, pleadingly, "...Trust in my judgement. Refrain from drinking."

Sasuke closes his eyes, thinking about this carefully. He then speaks, "I thank you...though, only for the sentiment."

He then looks at his servant standing in the back, silent as a fox, hiding her identity perfectly, "...Ino. Another glass. Put water in it slightly, that way, Neji-kun can relax."

Ino looks a little worried, holding the bottle of wine in her hand, "Are you sure Sasuke?" she switches glances to the doctor and her master quite evenly. Afraid of who she will offend and obey. She then looks at the ground, hearing no answer from Sasuke, she nods her head and carries her orders out faithfully.

Neji gives a sigh once more, watching the red liquid fill the wine glass in Sasuke's hand. There was a smell filling up the room.

...This sweet, poisonous aroma felt as though it melted the heart, if not, the soul itself. It was the smell of that venomous red wine that Sasuke could not part ways with.

Sasuke grabs the freshly filled cup and looks at the physician with his cold, dead eyes, "Neji-kun...you are my close friend and we known each other for a very long time. I am grateful for what you done to keep me working for this long."

Neji grunts, feeling the pain fill his heart, just like how the bottle of wine filled Sasuke's cup, "I have done nothing...ever since the incident. You have not litsen to an ounce of my advice as your physician."

Sasuke leans his head backwards, resting against the cusion of his bed, "Hahahaha...and you never listened when I begged you to kill Sakura...It seems we are even."

Ino cuts into the conversation with her head bowed so low, "Master..." Ino didn't want to pour the wine, but she had to and she did. Sasuke's grateful to her as he bows her head despite his role as master, "Thank you..." he then looks back at Neji, "I wouldn't die if I ran out your medicine, but I would've died if I ran out of this.

Sasuke ignores Neji's last resigned look as he leans the cup backwards, washing it's horrible contains into his worn out tastebuds. He finishes this and then finally sets the empty cup on the table in front of Neji. He isn't done talking to him just yet.

"Neji. Be honest with me. How long will it take for Sakura to remember everything."

Neji reclines slightly further back, swallowing hard, "Well now...How short must I make it if it would stop you from drinking?" Neji has really given up now. Then he finally speaks to Sasuke as another glass is poured for Sasuke.

"In the rate she's going...she doesn't have much time left before she remembers everything." Neji replied with a soft whisper, hoping Sasuke was too drunk to hear anything.

Sasuke catches on and looks at Neji with a stern look in his eyes, "What precisely do you mean by that?"

Neji ignores Sasuke this time and reaches for a board game under his bed. Neji isn't smiling, but he does have a nostalgic expression fitted on his face, "Let's discuss it over a game of chess. You have always beaten me by checkmate, but you've never cornered my king."

Neji sets the pieces up and looks at Sasuke, awaiting him to make the first move. Sasuke smiles slightly and looks at the pieces on the chess board. It's awkwardly fixed already to the last stage. Neji's memory is quite top notch. The black rook and bishop were cutting deep into the enemy's lines.

The match had already been beaten. The king is already trapped and cornered, there is no way Neji could win. Even an amatuer like Naruto could see this game is over and done with.

The reason why their both okay with having this game fixed like this is because they've been playing the same game for over several years. When Neji first became Sasuke's physician, he brought a chess board over to try and win Sasuke's happiness back. They would make a single move each everytime Neji would check up on him.

Neji was hoping, at first, that Sasuke would be too depressed and quit, announcing him the winner for the first time. These were not words from a physician, but more so of an old friend.

Neji closes his eyes with his hands behind his back, "If you were a normal patient. I would ask you to make a will..."

Sasuke snickers, looking bitterly at Neji, "And what is a will for...Neji-kun? Words on a piece of paper of how I want my name scattered into a million parts?"

Neji calmly opens his eyes slowly, shaking his head, "No, that's not it at all...as the word says, it is a will for future generations to see your mark. I'm not talking about your death will...I am talking about your will of fire."

Sasuke's face turns sour, "Will of fire nonsense. I almost hope you were talking about my death will..."

"You will not get anywhere in this world unless you walk..." Neji replies, feeling bitterly sad for his long time friend.

"I walk quite fine..."

"I beg to differ...you still have unfinished business with Sakura, don't you." The painful subject rides the bumps against Sasuke's spine. He hangs his head in the shadows, "Naruto will take care of it." Neji smiles, "And what if he can't?"

Sasuke grunts before turning away from Neji, but Neji would be one step ahead and jump in front of Sasuke, "Don't run away from your will...you love Sakura don't you?"

"I do not!" Sasuke's voice bellows, making Ino twitch slightly.

"I could see it in your face. You should not lie to your physician..." Neji said, trapping Sasuke just like how Sasuke trapped his king in the game of chess. Sasuke stands up and pushes Neji off by force, "I will lie to any physician in this world or the next!" he grabs his cup of wine and drains it in his body as if throwing trash inside a waste bin. Neji slaps the cup from Sasuke's hand and grips his hand forearm until he is looking directly at him.

"Then do not lie to your friend..." Neji said in a soft whisper. He looks at Sasuke once more, almost glaring. "Tell me again...do you still love Sakura?" Sasuke pauses for a while, but finally speaks, "I...do..."

Neji then smiles and releases his grip, only to place it directly on Sasuke's shoulders, "Then let me help you...we can win her back."


	5. Chapter 5: Steamboat

Chapter 5: The steamboat

"Whoa, things sure move with time. I can't believe we'll be able to reach the beach in just 30 minutess..." Naruto scratches his head, looking at the steam boat in front of him. They used to travel by running across the sea, but now there's new creation called a steam boat. Things have really gotten a lot easier nowadays.

He tried going on a normal boat with Sakura, but this time the two are travelling on a real steam boat. It's probably not even going to shake, back then the little normal boat shaked so much it gave some of them sea-sickness.

"Ahh, just spare me..." Naruto mutters, hoping the steam boat isn't that bad.

Ino overhears him and leans her head on his shoulders, "Hahaha...don't worry Naruto-kun. It'll shake much less than that time before." She said with a smile.

Sakura is standing between the two and cocks her head to the side, "Is that you Ino?" she asked. Ino notices Sakura's memories retained and steps back a little, "Don't scare me like that Sakura...I didn't know you regained your memories already. You nearly shaved three years off my life now." she joked.

"Sakura didn't regain all her memories, but she's pretty solid now of when she first entered the academy." Naruto mentions, still looking uneasy at the steamboat. He then looks back at the girls staring at him uneasy. "Haha!" he laughs uncomfortably, "You don't really think I'm actually scared of the boat breaking, or shaking right?"

Ino shakes her head with a smile, "Of course not. My mistake. I see you changed a lot when we last saw you. After all. It's been six years since the Original twelve have reformed. You're not a kid anymore. Hahahaha." Ino laughs at her last statement.

"Sheesh...and here you are old enough to drink and live by yourself. I have no interest in smoking, but I could give drinking a try!" he mumbles, trying to lighten up that awkward mood.

Naruto then nudges Sakura to join in the conversation, "Well if Sakura has her dad's genes. She can drink like king, right Sakura?" Sakura immediately feels embarassed and hides her face like a kid, "I might only drink when it comes to business...but I'll never drink for pleasure."

Ino and Naruto stare at Sakura confusedly. She's acting a lot like Hinata, but it's probably because she has a mind of a seven year old. "I mean! I...It's hard doing business without alcohol...at least, that's what I heard." she tries to fix her mistake.

There's a slight pause, but then suddenly, "Hahaha!" Ino laughs with her eyes close, "That's exactly right. That's why I never miss a chance to practice!" Sakura felt a little relief that Ino stepped up for her, but then suddenly jolts upwards with her senses heigtened. "That's not right Ino-chan...you're still a minor. It will hurt your chance to grow up."

Sakura's memory isn't up to par just yet, but Ino's just taking advantage of her lack of memory to put up more jokes now, "C'mon Sakura-sempai. I think I grown enough already. In fact, it'll become a lot easier to find clothes if I shrink a little."

Naruto takes this chance to glance down at the two girls and notices that they both grown well. They're really women now. Naruto on the otherhand is still a little shorter than the average male. He's a lot shorter than the rest of the guys from the Original 12 group. He tried a lot of things to help him grow, but to his bad luck, none of it worked.

Even Kiba, the second shortest kid reached his peak much earlier than Naruto. Damn, Naruto would bet if they ever regrouped, they would joke '_Wow, look how big you've grown Naruto-kun'_ the thought just hurts him a little in the inside.

It's so embarassing. He wishes they'd give him a break.

It just so happened that today. Naruto, Ino and Sakura aren't the only ones going to the beach. The familiar figure of Lee appeared and he gives Naruto a thumbs up, "Wow Naruto-kun, look how big you've grown! You know what they say _leave the boy for three days and he'll grow into a mountain_!"

Tsunade is following behind Lee as they head off in the first steamboat. "I guess it runs in the blood, doesn't it? Minato wasn't that tall until he became a genin, maybe if you're lucky. You'll become taller when your growth spurt hits!"

Naruto glares at the both of them, a little agitated, "Nah, I'll grow at least ten more feet! A real man needs to be tough in the inside, not just the outside." Lee never meant to tease Naruto. He genuinely thought Naruto grew bigger than he originally was.

He grins widely at Naruto, "Exactly! Naruto-kun knows how it works! Real men win or lose depending on their will. Don't ever forget to train and dicipline yourself. When you do that, all you have to do in a fight is wait patiently for the opponent to make a mistake and then..." he punches the wind making a sharp sounding fist, "...strike them down! Never once have I thought I would become the private escort of the Hokage. The youngest Shinobi to ever reach such a level with mere strength. Now that I think of it, if I ever gone easy on myself, which I doubt since I was following the footsteps of the great Maito Gai, I would've never reach the place I am today. "

Naruto leans over to Sakura who's looking confusedly at Lee, "This strong, young man is Rock-Lee. He is the private escort for Tsunade-sama and part of the original 12. He used to be in love with you." Sakura hides her blush when he said it and Naruto smiles devilishly.

"Lee's nice to children, truly has a kind a heart, sociable almost all the time and even the best taijutsu fighter in all of Konoha. To simply put it, he's an awesome guy and a great friend."

Tsunade slaps Lee's shoulders, pushing him forcefully on the boat so they can visit the Hidden village of the cloud, "If only you can shut your mouth about your accomplishment every once in while. You'll be the most perfect escort there is. That's enough for now Lee, let Naruto continue on his work. I'm sure Sakura is getting tired of it." She then looks over to Sakura. "Right?"

Sakura doesn't notice that all the attention is directed at her, but when she did. She quickly sheilded herself behind Naruto, looking over his shoulder every once in a while. "I don't have a problem with it...Nothing wrong with telling what you did. I think it's a little cool that he's done so much for Konoha. I don't have anything like that at all." she shyly said, in her mind she probably doesn't know who's Lee or Tsunade just yet. She probably doesn't know what she did for Konoha, because she contributed a lot as well.

Tsunade's rush to leave disappears quickly and she folds her arms across her chest with a smile, "Oh really? I imagine a girl with your skills would be wanted throughout the ninja world. I can't believe you have nothing to brag about."

Sakura wasn't prepared for this surprising compliment that she pulls Naruto shirt over her head, hiding her face with the bare skin of his back, "Y-y-you're joking right!" the muffle sound escapes from inside Naruto shirt. "Of course I didn't do anything like Lee...In fact, I rather I didn't do anything because I probably would've messed up."

Tsunade laughs almost as childish as Sakura, "Ah, so you do have stories to tell. You must tell your sensei later on! After all, nothing like that ever happens to Lee." she giggles as Lee looks at her with a grumpy look.

Naruto leans over to Sakura to explain who she is, "This is Tsunade. She's your mentor and basically thought you everything you know...or did know. She mostly jokes all the time, and just like Ino, she prey's on the weak. Hinata would almost always become an easy target, but this time it's you since...well you're acting a lot like her. She was my teacher's team partner a long time ago. The two of them would always tease me when they get a chance. Don't take it too seriously. Well...I guess the last thirty seconds is a bad impression of a Hokage, so I won't mention what a Hokage is just yet, but I'll tell you that she can be serious when she needs to be."

Naruto told her everything she needs to know as Tsunade and Lee begin to board the first steamboat. The three wave goodbye the two leaving and the fourth member comes along to join the three.

"Have any of you seen Sasuke...I couldn't find him." Neji said, holding a towel over his shoulders. Naruto looks behind him and raises his brows slightly, "Sasuke...? I think he left to the bathroom a little while ago. Is he not back yet?"

"Maybe the poor bastard dropped dead and I can finally be free from being his slave." Ino mumbles, jokingly and frightening at the same time. Neji folds his arms across his chest, "Maybe you should'nt have made that bet a long time ago then. Still...this isn't the first time he's taken so long to the bathroom."

The last time he did. He ditched everyone and left to do his own thing.

Sakura smiles at the thought of Sasuke and nods her head, "Yea, he's always been like that." Naruto almost forgot that during this memory age of Sakura. She's deeply in love with him, if only she knew that he ditched the whole village of Konoha.

"Does he really need to take a kunai knife with him everytime he takes a dump? Oh I wonder what he's doing with those..." Naruto joked, but it was true. Sasuke's really precautious of assassins. He is the only bloodline of the Sharingan, having him dead would make a lot of other families at ease.

In the end, Sasuke finally showed up and the three went on their beach trip on the steamboat.


End file.
